Joel
Life Before Hutsoo Massacre Joel, then named Leal, had a happy life, despite being born into poverty. He was born and raised, up until the age of four, in the Hutsoo Village. He had an older brother, Lionel, who he adored and was very close to; and a little sister, Eva, who he doted on. He often referred to his older brother as "Lion"; and would spend hours playing with him. Eva is not often referred too much, only being known to always run and meet her older brothers and father as they returned home from the fields. Life After Hutsoo Massacre The Hutsoo Massacre was ordered by King Raymond, a young king at the time, as a way to handle rumors of rebellion. The Hutsoo villagers wished to be ruled and governed by themselves, as they had been for centuries. King Raymond believed he was doing best. His knights murdered everyone in the village - or so they thought -. The lone survivors were Lionel and Joel. Their mother threw herself over them as a knight went to kill them, they stayed under her body for days before being found as the knights were taking care of the carnage. King Raymond, horrified by what he had done, saw that the boys received medical attention. Due to malnourished and shock, both boys slipped in and out of consciousness. However, King Raymond and Queen Merena were able to see that Lionel was consumed by too much darkness; while there was still hope for the youngest. Therefore, it was decided that the brothers had to be separated. Both were informed they were the lone survivors. Lionel was sent to become a Phoenix Knight, while Joel was adopted into the royal family. Due to the trauma of massacre, Joel's did not member much, he knew he mourned for a family but he could not recall many details. He was very distant and unhappy at first. Despite all best efforts to get him comfortable and settled. However, he became to feel more at home after the birth of Eleanor. He doted on Eleanor, she reminded him of Eva, and after her birth he did not feel so alone. Years, later Darin was born, even furthering Joel's feelings of comfort. However, he never felt a part of the royal family. Fall of Kilarnei (Part One) The fall of Kilarnei was caused by an uprising of the Phoenix Knights lead by Lionel. Queen Merena was killed protecting Darin, five years old at the time. The royal children narrowly escaped, but did due to the help of Phoenix Knight, Aidan Valrose, who had no knowledge of the planned attack. He kept loyalty to the crown above all else. The surviving members of the royal family stayed in a barn miles away from the castle for several days, until it proved to be time to move again. Afterwards, they stayed for months at the home of (can't recall name right now). It was there that Joel met Ordica, daughter to (name). She was very mean and cold initially, due to the life of abuse she had known and the consequences that being touched by a man would bring upon her. However, Joel finds her reeling from being raped, the two grow a friendship. Their friendship, unfortunately, does not go unnoticed and Etmere calls for Joel to be executed, but Aidan convinces him otherwise and suggests another punishment, a punishment to mentally harm Joel. After his sisters and younger brother leave for the safety of the Farnese household, a family still loyal to the crown, Joel is chained and forced to watch as Ordica is beaten and raped by her brothers and father. Before leaving, Joel makes a promise to Ordica, that if she wishes to escape or needs help, to write and he will come back for her. Aidan and he, already having a tense and hostile relationship, bicker and argue the entire way toward the Farnese household. Joel even going as far to punch Aidan in anger. During their journey, Aidan shares with Joel a secret of the Phoenix Knights, the secret of the North Star. Aidan gives Joel his medallion, as a sign of good will. Joel is reunited with his sisters and soon discovers that Kira is pregnant with Aidan's child. He is displeased and upset by the news, feeling betrayed by his older sister; however, he soon gets over it after seeing how much Aidan genuinely loves Kira. He gives Aidan his blessing and approval to marry Kira. Weeks later, they are married and Joel attends the wedding. Months later, Joel receives a letter from Ordica. Announcing that she is 7 months pregnant and has run away from her father's home and is currently living on the streets. In her letter, all she asks is that if she dies in childbirth for Joel to ensure her child is provided with a better life than she had. Joel, upon receiving the letter, rides out to find Ordica. He finds her a week later and the two head to a far-off countryside to a place where hardly anyone knows about Kilarnei; a safe haven. There, they find an abandoned house, they start a new life, including new names. Joel becomes Gray Luna. A month after arriving, Ordica gives birth to a daughter, whom she names Eva Kelsea Luna. Shortly after Eva's birth, Joel returns to the Farnese household to visit and see his new niece/nephew. After arriving, Joel learns that Aidan has been killed. Later on, he is given a vision by Darin involving his nephew, Phoenix, being murdered at his own christening. Seeing this, he springs into action, gathering his sisters and brother, and making an escape; but not before asking Rebeeca Farnese, daughter to Lord and Lady Farnese, to lay down her life for the sake of ensuring his family can be safe. She agrees. As they escape, they are chased by the hooded figure, the same who plotted to kill Phoenix and who killed Aidan. Joel pulls the wagon they are riding into a shaded area, where then another cart, identical races out driven by Rebecca, the hooded figure chases them until they are run off the cliff side and barrels that were in the back cause an explosion. Joel tells Kira he will support if she chooses to continue on toward revenge for the loss of the kingdom and her husband; but he tells her that if she does continue down the path, many more people close to her will die. She chooses to start anew. Joel takes them to the place Ordica and he have begun there new lives. Fall of Kilarnei (Part Two) The second part begins almost four years after Aidan's death, Eva is four years old. Ordica and Joel - then going by Grey - are loving and devoted parents. However, in order to ensure everyone can stay hidden and safe, Joel and Ordica secretly act as members of a rebellion/spies under the orders of Bastien. Told through flashbacks, Joel is a devoted father to Eva, loving her and seeing her completely as his own daughter. He encourages Eva's dreams to become a Phoenix Knight/warrior, and in secret gives her Aidan's medallion (because Phoenix has Cleo's medallion), sharing with her the secret of the North Star. The small family have their own little code and ways of communicating. Whenever Ordica and Joel go off to work, which they claim they are merchants traveling from town to town selling goods, Eva sneaks something of hers into their luggage as a way to ensure they come back. When Eva is four years old, Ordica and Joel are called on a job. Eva is very distressed and upset by the news, and runs into the barn to weep after Joel informs her they are leaving. Joel and Ordica travel over the duration of four days before reaching Bastien's estate under the cover of night, there Bastien informs the two of their mission. To kill Cyrus, King Lionel's infant son. Ordica expresses her disgust and fights with Joel about it. She also expresses her disliking of missing out on Eva growing up - they missed her first steps, her first time swimming, and were not there to comfort her when she got hurt -. Joel and her agree that this will be their last job. The night of the assassination comes, Joel disguises himself as a palace guard and Ordica disguises herself as one of the nannies. After sending the other nanny away, Ordica lets Joel inside the nursery. She holds Cyrus in her arms. Joel and her, upon talking, have a change of heart. Deciding to kill Cyrus only if he becomes a probably in the future, but not when he is an innocent baby. After returning Cyrus to his crib, Lionel and the knights burst in, apprehending Joel and Ordica. Lionel reveals himself as Joel's older brother. Lionel agrees to have his guards release Ordica if Joel vows to stay at the castle with him. Joel agrees and Ordica is released, only to be murdered by Lionel. Joel is not shown to grieve Ordica and coldly disregards her corpse. Joel has Bastien tell Kira and the others Ordica and he grew sick during their travels and died. Joel becomes cold and distant. Longing and missing Eva, never letting her be too far from his thoughts; however, he never mentions her. He eventually takes a parental-role in the lives of his nieces, Megara and Danyaia, and nephew, Cyrus. He loves them all, but as he watches them grow he grows sadder at the knowledge that he is missing Eva grow up.